NCAA release
Kaitlin Hatch Top 10 Video
ANAHEIM, Calif. - West Chester University field hockey 2019 graduate
Kaitlin Hatch (Sewell, N.J./Washington Twp.) was one of 10 student-athletes across the country recognized as a 2020 Today's Top 10 Award winner at the NCAA Convention in Anaheim, Calif., Wednesday evening. Hatch was on hand to receive her award in person, along with West Chester University Director of Athletics,
Terry Beattie, and Senior Woman Administrator,
Kellianne Milliner.
The award recognizes former student-athletes from all levels of NCAA athletics for their success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. She is the first student-athlete from West Chester University to be honored with this award since its inception in 1973. In fact, Hatch becomes the first West Chester University student athlete to be honored with any of the NCAA's major awards (Award of Valor, Theodore Roosevelt Award, Today's Top 10 Award, NCAA Woman of the Year). She is only the fourth individual from a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) institution to be named to Today's Top 10 Award list - joining three former Clarion student-athletes (Kristin Day - 2016; Kayla Shull - 2014; Jamie Wolff - 2008). Those three ladies were all members of Clarion's swimming & diving squads.
Hatch is a two-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-American as well as a four-time member of the NFHCA's National Academic Squad. She was also a Top 30 finalist for the 2019 NCAA Woman of the Year.
Hatch spent four years as a member of the West Chester Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was president her senior year. With her leadership, SAAC organized fundraisers for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, raising $35,000 during her tenure and revealing wishes to three local children. Hatch also volunteered as a youth field hockey coach, where she worked with U12, U14 and U16 teams. She was a founding member of the Women in Business student club at West Chester, which mentored young women and provided insight about college and career-related topics.
2020 Today's Top 10 Award winners:
Jimmy Bendeck, Baylor University men's tennis (Finance)
Iman Blow, Columbia University women's fencing (Biology)
Virginia Elena Carta, Duke University women's golf (Environmental Studies and Policy)
Kaitlin Hatch, West Chester University field hockey (Marketing)
Kirby Hora, Augustana University football (Biology)
Cassandra Laios, Case Western Reserve women's track & field (Electrical Engineering)
Hannah Orbach-Mandel, Kenyon women's swimming & diving (Economics)
Kristin Quah, Vanderbilt University women's bowling (Biomedical and Electrical Engineering)
Anton Stephenson, Nebraska University men's gymnastics (Health Sciences)
Ginny Thrasher, West Virginia University women's rifle (Biomedical Engineering)
